Automotive The Racket

If some of the world dominated by com automatic vehicles on hand is the United States . Recently there has landed one of the most successful cars in Europe, the Fiat 500, as part of plans for Chrysler-Fiat.

Providing for a greater number of units sold associated with the automatic gearbox six relations, but surprisingly the demand for the manual five-speed is so great that it accumulates 50% of sales. Some dealers manual demand is higher than in other, reaching up to 70% of units with manual.

Note that the reception of the Fiat 500 has been very good at what they have helped and will help the distribution network consists of 70 outlets and 60 additional are on their way.

The pocket rocket Fiat 500 Twin Air offers a not inconsiderable 85 hp, but if we consider that its engine is only 900 cc (if, 0.9 liters!) and consumption of 4 liters to 100 we can not help rethink the issue of applicability of the expensive (and still under development) hybrid and electric cars.

With prices from 12,590 euros, the new 2-cylinder turbocharged versions presented in Italian with sequential gearbox or manual, specifically designed to develop 173 km / h with a time of just 11 seconds in the test from 0 to 100 km / h. Read the rest of this entry →

If the intention is very nice and the look of the Volt is reminiscent of attractive five-door Malibu Maxx, but I think Chevrolet is still far from providing a really sensible proposal for an electric car.

It seems that GM did not want at all to market an electric vehicle, but it does so many people buy a BlackBerry, although he does not see the utility and do not believe in his performance, is fashionable and others already have one.

If GM really believed in the concept of an environmentally friendly vehicle from zero or low emissions, would focus on raising the battery life achieves only a measly 60 km, but the real irony is that the Volt relies on a motor of 1.4 internal combustion to rotate a generator that feeds the battery once it is downloaded.

That’s where people are asking (not the people of GM, of course):

* Why not just a gasoline engine 1.4 and you? It would save space and weight of the battery and the car would perform better!

* Why not reduce the gasoline engine to 1 liter or less and is used in electric rear axle configuration and gasoline in front? Read the rest of this entry →